# US 11,234,857 B2 · Tunable stiffness menstrual device

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- Number: US 11,234,857 B2
- Document ID: US11234857B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/222,925
- Filed: 2021-04-05
- Published: 2021-10-07
- Granted: 2022-02-01
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-03
- Assignees: Flex Ltd.
- Applicants: The Flex Company
- Inventors: Andrew Ross Miller; Jane Hartman Adamé; Lauren Schulte Wang; Clementine Dakota Gilbert
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11234857B2

## CPC

- A61F 5/4553: {placed in the vagina, e.g. for catamenial use (pessaries A61F6/08; absorbent cups A61F13/2045)}
- A61F 5/4404: {Details or parts}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

A menstrual device with a reservoir portion and a rim portion where the rim element is comprised of stiffer higher durometer resilient material while the reservoir portion is made from a softer lower durometer material. Additionally, other portions of the menstrual device may have differing durometer materials. The menstrual device may be configured with a compression relief element to help improve the overall folding of the device for use.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A menstrual device comprising:
a body portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface and being made of a first material having a first durometer and defining a generally circular shape, wherein the interior surface defines a reservoir and wherein the exterior surface defines a first diameter;
a resiliently foldable rim connected to the body portion and including an internal rim portion being made of a second material having a second durometer, the internal rim portion being surrounded by a remaining portion of the rim made of the first material, wherein the second durometer is higher than the first durometer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The menstrual device of claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises an internal stiffener element disposed between the exterior surface and the interior surface and wherein the internal stiffener element is made of the second material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The menstrual device of claim 1, further comprising a stem element connected to a bottom portion of the body, wherein the stem element has an elongated body that extends from the body portion downward beneath the body portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The menstrual device of claim 3, wherein the stem is made of a material having a durometer softer than the second durometer material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The menstrual device of claim 1, wherein the rim has a cross sectional shape selected from a group consisting of triangular, “U” shaped, and curved upper and lower edges.

### Claim 6

A menstrual device comprising
a body portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a generally circular shape, wherein the interior surface defines a reservoir and wherein the exterior surface defines a first diameter;
a resiliently foldable rim connected to the body portion having an outer diameter and an inner diameter wherein the outer diameter is larger than the first diameter, wherein the rim has a predefined height and a rim thickness; and
a notch disposed within the resiliently foldable rim, wherein the notch it extends from the inner diameter to a distance that is less than the rim thickness.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The menstrual device of claim 6, wherein the notch has a cross section selected from a group consisting of “V” shaped, semicircle, and quarter circle.